Game apparatus



m a e March 1, 1960 'H. J. MILLER 2,926,914

GAME APPARATUS Filed Aug. 16, 1957 INVENTOR.

HowARp J. MILLER ATTORN EYS GAME, APPARATUS Howard J. Miller, Dayton, Ohio Application August 16, 1951, Serial No. 678,481

' 2 Claims. c1. 213-95 I This, application relatesito game. apparatus, particularly to goal definingapparatus for a game played with a resilientball.

. vided which is relatively low or close to the court surface and is defined by a rim or hoop extending vertically, as distinguished from the basketball goal including a horizontally extending rim at considerable height above the court.

Thus, in accordance with the invention, the goal is so arranged that the ball must pass through the goal in a generally horizontal trajectory as opposed to the generally vertical trajectory employed in basketball. On the opposite side of the goal defining rim is a bankboard, and in order to score a goal the ball must be rebounded off the bankboard and back through the rim in the direction of the court from which it was thrown. This requires a certain amount of skill but offers no advantage to taller players, since a goal may be scored with equal facility by throwing the ball over, under, or around either side of the rim against the bankboard.

Accordingly, another object of this invention is to provide a goal for a game played with a resilient ball wherein a goal defining rim and a bankboard are supported in that order in spaced generally vertical planes at one end of a playing court for rebounding a ball propelled from the court against the bankboard through the rim in a direction back toward the court.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawing and the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of game apparatus in accordance with the invention, showing a portion of the playing court and goal apparatus in proper relation thereo; and

Fig. 2 is a front plan view of a portion of the goal apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention, the game is played on a floor or other flat playing area indicated generally at and marked as by boundary lines 12 to define a court which may be of any suitable dimensions. The players must remain within the court area when in possession of the ball, as in similar games, and scoring is effected by propelling a resilient ball 15 through a goal which is defined by a hoop or circular rim 18 having a suitable net 20 or the like attached thereto providing an indicator for passage of the ball through the goal. The boundary line 12 may be considered one of the end boundaries of the court, and if desired, goal apparatus may be provided at both ends of the court, this arrangement not being shown since it is merely a duplication of that shown in Fig. l. The goal rim 13 is supported in a generally vertical plane on the out-of-bounds side of boundary line 12, being attached between suitable L-shaped stanchions 22, the lower legs of which are secured to floor 10 in any suitable manner. A preferred embodiment of the device incorporates suction cups 23 for this purpose, thereby making the goal portable and removable for use of the court in other games.

Beyond the goal 18, a fixed predetermined distance therefrom, is a bankboard 25 which extends vertically,

preferably from the floor surface, in a plane generally parallel to the plane of the goal' rim 18. This bankboard may be provided by a small wall-like member, which may be portable if so desired, or it may b'e'a'part of one of the walls of the room, extending directly from floor 10. The object of the game is to score a goalby throwing, kicking, or otherwise propelling the ball from within the court against bankboard 25, and causing the rebounding ball to pass through rim 18 in a direction back toward the court. As is apparent from Fig. 1, the ball may be thrown from over or from. either side of rim 18, or it can be rolled beneath the rim, between the stanchions 22. In order to facilitate rebounding in the latter case a small ramp 28 extends from the floor in front of the bankboard at an angle upwardly toward the bankboard, and thus a ball rolling against a ramp from the court will be directed toward an upper part of the bankboard to rebound in the direction of rim 18. Preferred rules of the game provide that if a ball becomes trapped between the goal and bankboard 25, the ball is given to the defensive team, i.e, it is taken from the possession of the team having thrown the ball. Any ball which rebounds from bankboard 25 into the court without passing through the goal rim 18 may be considered a free ball and still in play.

Preferred dimensions of the goal apparatus of the invention, when using a ball of about ten inches in' diameter, are a hoop or rim 18 of approximately twenty inches in diameter supported with its lowest edge approximately twenty inches above the floor surface and in a vertical plane spaced, in an out-of-bounds direction, from boundary line 12 by approximately one foot. Suitable results have been obtained with a bankboard six feet wide by six feet tall located in a vertical plane spaced six feet beyond the plane of the goal rim, and the ramp 28 may be approximately three feet wide and extend outwardly toward the goal for a distance of about a one foot, the center of the ramp being generally aligned with the goal, and the inclination of the ram surface being about 20 with respect to horizontal.

The advantages afforded by this game, particularly by the goal apparatus just described, will be apparent with realization that the height of the player is not important to his ability to score. Any player, short, or tall, has substantially the same opportunities for propelling the ball toward the bankboard. In addition, the specific apparatus required for the game is simple and inexpen sive, and also the space requirements are moderate as well as subject to modification to suit particular circumstances.

While the form of apparatus herein described constitutes a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise form of apparatus, and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Game apparatus of the character described for use in combination with a spherical ball and a playing floor including. means ..defining. a., court and -.-a. hankboard extending vertically from the floor adjacent one end of the court, comprising a circular rim of slightly larger diametervthan the ball providingtforipassageof the ball therewthrough, asupportfor maintaining said rim spaced-above 1 the floor in a vertical plane, net meansaattachedtto said rim out the upper side thereof -and:eXtending=-loose1y qwacross the. opening defined :byzsaid rim ;to "provide an indication: of passage-of the ball throughasaid rim, said supportincluding legmeans. arranged itoubracc said rim againstrdeflection resulting, from: impact of the ball thereonfromsaid one;side,.: and suctioncup means on said support for, firmly securingi saidigsupport, to the; floor in fixed spaced relation with theiabankbpard.

;- liaGarneaapparatusi of the character described for use in" omh uationiw-i haa sp eri aL-balL vcomp aisingsaplayn flo ry-bo n ryi-means; definingz-a icourt on; said floor, bankboard: extending.;vertically;frgm.said i-floo'ni adjacent en d of the courtLoutside said-;,-boundary;,means, a circular; rim of; slightly large iameter; than thei', ball providing for passage of therballetherethrough, a support gel maintainingsaid rimspaced above the floor and extendt I 2,812,946 a ing in'a generally vertical plane, means securing said support rigidly .to theflfloor inwfixed. and substantiallyparallel spaced relation with said bankboard providing for passage of the ball rebounding from said bankboard through said rim, net means suspended from the upper side of said rim and extending across the opening through said rim providing an indication of passage of the ball through said:rim-;from said bankboard, and a ramp at the base of said bankboard in alignment with said rim providing a -slantedsurface for directing the ball rolled flbeneathi said rim "upwardlytiagainst a higher part of said bankboard for rebounding through said rim.

I leference s v Cited in the fileof this patent 'UNITED STATES'PATENTS I 1,598,865 Limerick Tenney Oct. 11, 1921 Mar. 2, 1937 

